Timepiece

ABSTRACT

In a timepiece comprising at least one slidably mounted pushpiece, the push-piece is indirectly actuatable by a manually operable key pivotally mounted on the timepiece casing.

I) United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,759,033

Jeanmonod [4 1 Sept. 18, 1973 TlMEPlECE [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Jacques Jeanmonod, Boudry, UNITED STATES PATENTS Switzerland 2,245,302 6/l94l Schmitz [73] Assignee: Heuer-Leonidas-S.A., Bienne, 2,714,284 8/1955 Gazda 58/855 Switzerland Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. [22] F'led: 1972 Attorney-Robert E. Burns et al. [211 Appl. No.: 227,085

. [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data in a timepiece comprising at least one slidably mounted Feb. 19, 1971 Switzerland 2434/71 p -p the p -p e is di ectly actuatable by a manually operable key pivotally mounted on the time- [52] [1.8. CI. 58/74 piece casing. [51] llnt. Cl. G04f 7/04 58 Field of Search ..ss 74-79, 85.5 9 m 3 Drawmg Fgms Patented Sept. 18, 1973 3,759,033

2 Sheets-Sheet 'l.

Patented Sept. 18, 1973 3,759,033

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rrMErracr The invention relates to timepieces provided with at least one push piece, such as chronographs and timers.

In known timepieces of this type, the push pieces are in the form of crowns mounted on axially slidable stems or shafts and are not easy to manipulate, particularly when the instruments are employed for measuring short periods of time when the action on the push pieces is repeated in a very rapid manner.

The aim of the invention is to provide a timepiece provided with at least one push piece which, by virtue of the special form of means for actuating the push piece, is of a very rapid action and is easy to operate.

According to the invention, a timepiece comprises a casing, a push piece slidably mounted in relation to the casing, and a member pivotally mounted on the casing, and manually operable for actuating the push piece.

The accompanying drawings show, schematically and by way of example, an embodiment of a timepiece according to the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. II is a schematic front view of the timepiece;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken along line III-III of FIG. 1.

The stop watch shown comprises a casing l on which are mounted a crown 2 for winding the clockwork movement and for starting a timer mechanism, and two elongated and inflexible keys, or actuating members 3 and 4 each adapted to actuate a push piece for respectively stopping and zeroing the timer mechanism, for example. i In the cut away part of FIG. 1, the key 3 and its push piece 5 are and are shown in their rest positions. The keys 3 and 4 are pivotally mounted on the casing l by means of cylindrical pivot pins 6 protruding laterally from adjacent one ends of the respective keys and fitted in housings of corresponding cylindrical shape formed between the middle of the casing I and a glassretaining bezel 9 (FIG. 3).

The key 3 comprises additionally a recessed housing or slot 7 against the wall of which a protruding end of the push piece 5 bears, and a projection or stop member 8 cooperating with a biasing lip on the casing l to limit the pivotal movement of the key 3, which is outwardly urged by a spring of the push piece 4, thereby preventing it from falling out. The keys 3 and 5 are ribbed to make them non-slip, but could be knurled or surfaced in another manner for the same purpose.

This ribbed outer surface of the keys lies substantially flush with the adjacent peripheral parts of the edge of the casing, which enables a particularly easy handling of the stop watch and rapid actuation of the push pieces by depressing the keys 3 and 4.

As a variant, not shown, the key could be pivoted by a stepped screw passing through a bore at one end of the key, or by a spring blade exte ndingfrom one end of the key and fixed on the casing l, for example by means of a screw.

The housing 7 of the key on which the end of the push piece bears could be a socket in which a head of corresponding shape on the push piece would engage, means being provided to limit the axial sliding movement of push piece, so that the stop member 8 and its lip could be eliminated.

The push piece 5 can be of any known watertight or non-watertight type.

The illustrated timepiece is a stop watch. However,

it is evident that the invention relates to any timepiece, chronometer, chronograph or timer employing push pieces, and may be of the pocket or wrist type.

In another variant, not shown, the pivoting axis of the key could be parallel to the general plane of the timepiece instead of being perpendicular thereto as in the described example.

What is claimed is:

I. In a timepiece: a casing; a pushpiece slidably mounted in said casing for slidable movement between one position and another position; biasing means resiliently biasing said push piece into said one position; and actuating means for actuating said push piece from said one position to said another position comprising an elongated inflexible actuating member, and mounting means pivotally mounting said actuating member on said casing for manual pivotal movement from a rest position wherein same lies substantially flush with the exterior of said casing into engagement with said push piece to effectsliding movement of said push piece into said another position in response to manual depression of said actuating member.

2. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said hiasing means comprises a biasing spring continuously biasing said push piece towards said one position and coacting with said push piece to maintain said actuating member in said rest position whenever same is not manually depressed.

3. A timepiece according to claim ll; wherein said mounting means comprises means defining a housing in said casing, and a pivot pin connected to one end of said actuating member and pivotally mounted with said housing.

4. A time piece according to claim 1; including means defining a recess along the interior of said actuating member receiving therein an end portion of said push piece.

5. A timepiece according to claim 1; including another push piece, biasing means and actuating means like those defined in claim 8.

6. A timepiece according to claim 1; including a series of ribs on the exposed exterior surface of said actuating member.

7. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said 'casing has means therein defining anelongated slot accommodating therein said actuating member when same is in said rest position; and wherein said mounting means comprises means pivotally mounting one end of said actuating member on said housing to enable .pivotal movement of said actuating member out of and into said slot.

8. A timepiece according to claim 7; including a pro- 

1. In a timepiece: a casing; a pushpiece slidably mounted in said casing for slidable movement between one position and another position; biasing means resiliently biasing said push piece into said one position; and actuating means for actuating said push piece from said one position to said another position comprising an elongated inflexible actuating member, and mounting means pivotally mounting said actuating member on said casing for manual pivotal movement from a rest position wherein same lies substantially flush with the exterior of said casing into engagement with said push piece to effect sliding movement of said push piece into said another position in response to manual depression of said actuating member.
 2. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said biasing means comprises a biasing spring continuously biasing said push piece towards said one position and coacting with said push piece to maintain said actuating member in said rest position whenever same is not manually depressed.
 3. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said mounting means comprises means defining a housing in said casing, and a pivot pin connected to one end of said actuating member and pivotally mounted with said housing.
 4. A time piece according to claim 1; including means defining a recess along the interior of said actuating member receiving therein an end portion of said push piece.
 5. A timepiece according to claim 1; including another push piece, biasing means and actuating means like those defined in claim
 8. 6. A timepiece according to claim 1; including a series of ribs on the exposed exterior surface of said actuating member.
 7. A timepiece according to claim 1; wherein said casing has means therein defining an elongated slot accommodating therein said actuating member when same is in said rest position; and wherein said mounting means comprises means pivotally mounting one end of said actuating member on said housing to enable pivotal movement of said actuating member out of and into said slot.
 8. A timepiece according to claim 7; including a projection on the other end of said actuating member engageable with a portion of said casing to limit the extent of pivotal movement of said actuating member in a direction outwardly away from said casing.
 9. A timepiece according to claim 8; wherein said actuating member has an exposed exterior surface configuration complementing that of the exterior surface of said casing. 